Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not be happy with DSS living with us during university?

585 replies

Whatnowwww · 16/05/2020 15:27

DSS is off to university 2021. He is here right now during lockdown, he usually lives with his mum 2 hours away. Over breakfast DH and DSS were talking about the UCAS form, and it transpires that DSS is apparently welcome to live with us during uni; we are in London. Now don’t get me wrong, I love the kid and he’s a good boy. But I am PG and I have a 4 year old, I don’t want to either police the actions of an 18 year old but nor do I want to co habit with an 18 year old. Our house is large but it’s my childhood home, not ‘ours’ i.e. not bought with DH’s and my money but my old DF. I know they both respect me but I just feel so possessive over my home whilst at the same so guilty.
The real reason is that when DSS is here, DH and DSS have so much to talk about that I always feel left out for days on end. I know this isn’t intended and they both love me, this just happens. I fall asleep at 8pm most nights whilst they pick some action film to watch. They have more in common with each other then me and DH have in common, I can handle this is small doses but l’m dreading 3 years of this.

OP posts:
FudgeBrownie2019 · 16/05/2020 16:45

YANBU to have expected a conversation with your DH. YABU to say "my house" and "my husband" because your husband was this lads Dad way before he was your husband.

The house is a family home now. Either you accept that or you need to rethink being married to someone you're not willing to share your toys with, because this kind of resentment will eat away at anything good you currently share.

understandmenow · 16/05/2020 16:46

YABU

missionalmostimpossible · 16/05/2020 16:49

Your husband should have discussed this with you before unilaterally offering your DSS to live there. I assume your DSS usually visits you every two weeks, it's very different to change this to full-time, so should have been discussed before he agreed similar to how you discuss other family matters. This would have given you a chance to share your concerns around being left out, or like a visitor to their conversations.

At the moment, your DH and DSS behave like that because they don't spend huge amounts of time together, given they live apart. This would naturally settle if he lived with you full-time, and especially if he was going out and about to uni, however now is the time to speak to your DH about it.

Pieceofpurplesky · 16/05/2020 16:50

Yabvvu. And sound jealous. Work on your relationship with your DH rather than blame DSS. It may be YOUR house, but it is your families home

Devlesko · 16/05/2020 16:52

I suppose it's fair as long as your children aren't allowed to live with you post 18.
I bet your dh will be well fed up of kids by then, he might not want your dd about as a teen, have you considered this?

Werkwerkwerkwerkwerkwerk · 16/05/2020 16:53

Sounds like you settled and didnt marry the tight person

jacks11 · 16/05/2020 16:54

YABU

I would say that your DH should have consulted you re any plans for his DS to move, it;s not fair that he didn’t. I think it would be fair for you to point that out to him and ask him to be more considerate. But perhaps he took it as a given that his son is welcome in his home if needed. Which is not an unreasonable premise to make.

Is your 4 year old your DH’s child? If not, how would you feel if your DH decided your child was out the door, never to return, the day he or she turns 18 years old? If your 4 years old is yours and DH’s child, are you expecting them to move out when they are 18 year old, come what may? If the answer to those questions is that you would be happy if your DH made your DC move out when they were 18 years old, no matter what the circumstances, then YANBU on that front.

I think it’s sad that your resent the fact that your DH has a close relationship with his son. If your DSS was actually your son I would imagine you would be thrilled, wouldn’t you? If so, then I think you should have a think about what that says about your feelings towards your DSS. You say you are fond of him but I can’t quite reconcile that with your attitude towards his relationship with his father and your territorial feelings around your family home.

When you decided to marry a man with a child, you accepted all that comes with that. Including the possibility that at some point your DH’s child could have to come and live with you. You feel so very territorial about your home (though surely when you married your DH and he moved in that house became YOUR JOINT family home, not just yours?) that I can’t see how you would ever have been happy with that. So I think YABU on that front.

I think YABU to refer to the house you live in with your family as solely yours and not DH’s. I understand that it is your family home and you inherited it, so feel very attached. However, when you marry someone and become a family, it ceases to be solely yours (morally and legally- unless you have enforceable prenup). Would you have sold that house to buy a house jointly with your DH/ or let that house and use your joint incomes to finance a mortgage? Given how you feel about your house, I doubt it.

You need to let your DH know how you feel if you really cannot face having your DSS living with you- do so now so your DSS can be clear about his finances and accomodation options (or lack thereof) prior to finalising university applications. He may not be able to afford student accommodation in London (and I know some universities will not prioritise student halls if a parent lives in London, so it may not even be a case of not being able to afford it) and so needs to know before he applies.

Mummyoflittledragon · 16/05/2020 16:54

It was rude for your dh not to consult with you. However, you cannot just whitewash your dhs child from a previous relationship out of the picture to fit your narrative of what you want your home life to be like.

Boomclaps · 16/05/2020 16:55

Yeah you know YABU.
But dh should’ve discussed it.

Food for thought, when my sister was at a london uni if you lived within zones 1-6 or your parents did and you were under 21 and not estranged then they didn’t qualify for halls or anything.
Similarly I went to uni 40 miles from home and couldn’t get student accom.

Cosyblanky · 16/05/2020 16:55

I'm guessing your husband didn't discuss it with you first because he knew you wouldn't want you DSS living in 'your' home. Your husband is probably looking forward to some company if you're asleep by 8pm every night.

ProperVexed · 16/05/2020 16:56

On a slight tangent, OP, my DH and I have two DS...now late teens and early twenties. No step children. Sometimes, when we are chatting over dinner I am bored shitless because the three males are talking about cars or guitars etc. I accept that this is because they have a good relationship and these are interests that they have in common. It might have been different if we had girls, but we didn't. I often go to bed earlier than them to read or watch tv that I like. I'm happy that they have a good relationship and can talk. You need to see this as a positive.

blueglassandfreesias · 16/05/2020 17:02

YADNBU. I would be so unhappy about that.

Livelovebehappy · 16/05/2020 17:02

What a horrible post. Don’t know why I’m surprised though. I’m hopeful that the step parents who post on MN aren’t representative of step parents generally, because if they are, I despair for the DSCs out there.

Howaboutanewname · 16/05/2020 17:04

Our house is large but it’s my childhood home, not ‘ours’

Our house but not our house?

He shouldn’t have assumed but you really can’t object.

TryingToBeBold · 16/05/2020 17:04

Does your DH contribute to household bills etc..? If so then yes it's your house.. but it's his home.. his children's home

Hamm87 · 16/05/2020 17:05

Sorry but I would be pissed off

  1. You were not asked
  2. It's your home
  3. It's not up to your dh
  4. He will pay rent I would ask for half the going room rate for London and he buys his own food no he cant come home at stupid o'clock in the morning give him a 3 strike rules and put your foot down
AnneOfTeenFables · 16/05/2020 17:08

Gosh OP your life sounds like a Jane Austen novel. Large house in London that belonged to the family where you recline on the couch every evening from an early hour.
But I digress, your DSS probably won't want to stay with you for long and he'll have less and less to talk to his DF about as he embraces university life.
If you're concerned that 'parenting' will fall to you because your DH disengages then that is a real problem that you need to discuss. If it's just that you wanted to play second happy families without his first family impinging on that fantasy, then you need to adjust your expectations.

RusticaRubra · 16/05/2020 17:08

Has your SS lived mostly with his mum growing up? He may see this as an opportunity to spend some quality time as a family with his dad now that he has this chance. This is also a great opportunity for your DH to lay down a good foundation for his son by him having little to no student debt making it easier and quicker for him to get on the property ladder etc. later on.

If your refusal affects his Uni choice, his student debt and his prospects then be prepared for a bumpy ride OP. Your SS may stop speaking to his dad over it and your DH's family will be appalled with you for treating him like that.

paininthepoinsettia · 16/05/2020 17:09

I can understand why you don't really want a late teen there as it changes the dynamic, but YABU not be "defensive" of your home regarding dss, he's not trying to get his name on the deeds! He is the sibling of your dc and your DH's son. Your real reason for not wanting him there is really pathetic tbh, if my DH told me he didn't want my DD living with us because we have a lot in common he wouldn't be a DH much longer.

optimisticpessimist01 · 16/05/2020 17:09

He's your husbands son. He is part of your family. Stop being selfish.

WildImaginings · 16/05/2020 17:10

YABU, selfish and jealous.

TeaAndHobnob · 16/05/2020 17:12

I voted yabu BUT you should have been consulted before the offer was made as it is not your DSS main home.

AdriannaP · 16/05/2020 17:14

He won’t hang out much with his dad when he goes to uni and why do you have to police an 18 year old. Will you also be jealous when your kids bond with your DH and have hobbies in common?
YABVU and sound very insecure. I feel sorry for your DH that he can’t bond with his own son.

xxxemzyxxx · 16/05/2020 17:17

Your DH is unreasonable for not discussing it with you first, and a discussion about boundaries is definitely required to make sure everyone is comfortable (contributions to bills, housework, not bringing rowdy friends home late when you have young children, etc). However I have to agree with others, in that it is very sad that you don’t even want to consider having him because of the reason you have given. If you are feeling left out you need to take this up with your DH, don’t penalise your DSS simply because he has a good relationship with his dad.

If you love him and vice versa, and he’s a good kid like you say, surely he’s not going to do anything to tarnish your home? You shouldn’t have to police an 18 year old, he is an adult. He will be out a lot living his own life and attending uni, so it’s not going to be exactly like in lockdown when you are stuck together all the time. You would be saving him thousands of unnecessary debt if he lives with you, surely you can understand why your DH would want this for his son.

You need to have a talk with your husband, and mention that he should have discussed it with you first, and if this is going to happen boundaries need to be put in place. But also talk to him about the situation at hand, that you are feeling left out, and ask if they can be a bit more wary of including you. If you haven’t mentioned this to him already, how will he know you are struggling? However, you also need to accept that this is his son, it’s great that they are close and have loads of stuff in common, which they are gonna want to discuss sometimes.

Rainbow12e · 16/05/2020 17:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.